ABC of Wisconsin SkillComp winners head to nationals in Florida

Apprentices from across the state came together last Friday for the ABC of Wisconsin Skill Competition, with the winners heading to Florida for the National Craft Championships in March. The event, which featured 30 individuals competing in a variety of construction trades, took place in West Bend, at the Washington County Fairgrounds.
ABC of Wisconsin SkillComp Winners:

The Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center sounded more like a construction zone Friday morning than a place more commonly used as a venue for wedding banquets and craft exhibitions.

Forty apprentices representing a handful of trades were there Friday showing off their abilities and technical knowledge as part of an Apprenticeship Skill Competition organized by the Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin. The event took place in an expansive room inside the convention center, which stands just south of West Bend.

In the far northwest corner of the room, carpentry apprentices were already giving shape to various small projects by 9 a.m., a mere hour after everyone got to work on their assignments. One structure — a wall — stood propped up behind the workstation of the apprentice who was building it. The area was roped off with the same sort of yellow caution tape that was likewise used to demarcate the four other apprentice stations in the room.

Brandon Geier, moments after making some cuts with a circular saw, reached into his massive tool belt, with its pockets extended nearly to his knees on both sides of his waist, and pulled out a tape measure. He and the three other carpentry apprentices kept themselves busy switching between taking measurements, cutting wood and hammering various things together.

The ABC of Wisconsin’s Apprenticeship Skill Competition is held every year primarily to give trades workers who are completing apprenticeships with ABC member contractors an opportunity to show what they have learned. If they succeed at this stage, they can go on to compete at the national level.

Apprentices from across Wisconsin will showcase their skills during a competition Friday in the town of Polk.

The public is invited to watch as those skilled in carpentry, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and heat and frost insulating participate in Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Wisconsin Apprentice Skill Competition. They will also compete in a written competition.

Elizabeth Roddy is the recruitment and training coordinator with Madison-based ABC.

She said there is a “huge worker shortage” in the construction industry and the event allows apprentices to share their talents. It is also designed to get the public interested in the trades. Construction workers are a necessity to have the roads and buildings we use everyday, she said.

“We need to encourage our young to be proud of their work,” Roddy said.
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BizTimes Milwaukee:

The Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin Apprenticeship and Training Trust have showcased the skills of top apprentices in carpentry, electrical, heat and frost insulating, HVAC and plumbing with the ABC of Wisconsin Skill Competition for the past 26 years.

This year’s competition, on Jan. 22 at the Washington County Fairgrounds & Conference Center, featured ABC of Wisconsin apprentices representing six Wisconsin technical colleges and nearly 20 construction companies.